Total Health Concepts

Creating a Healthier World, One Person At A Time

CranioSacral Therapyis a
hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing a physiological
system of the body that has only recently been researched
and recognized. To better understand CranioSacral Therapy,
let's first take a look at the basic terms. Cranio comes
from Cranium, which is the "vault" that is made up of the
bones in your head which protect your brain and the organs
of sight, hearing and balance. Sacral comes from Sacrum.
Your sacrum is a triangular-shaped bone which is at the
base of your spine, just above the "tailbone", or coccyx.
Your craniosacral system is made up of the area of your
body from your cranium down to your sacrum-in other words,
from the top of your head down to the end of your spine.
Now let's take a look at how this system works.
As you began to develop as an embryo, your brain and spinal
cord were the first to form. These vital organs are
protected and nourished against chemical or physical injury
by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which continuously circulates
around the brain and spinal cord and through cavities
within the brain, called ventricles. This fluid serves as a
shock absorbing medium that protects the delicate tissue of
the brain and spinal cord from jolts, which could otherwise
crush them against the bones of the skull and the spine.
CSF also provides an optimal chemical environment for
electrical signals in your brain. Even slight changes in
its composition can cause serious disruptions in brain
function. Another important function of CSF is to provide a
medium for exchange of nutrients and waste products between
the blood and nervous tissue.
CSF is enclosed in a 3-layered membrane system, between the
outside layer and the middle layer. The inside layer is the
closest to your brain and spinal cord. This membrane system
provides the boundary of the craniosacral system-a
protective sack that fits closely around your brain and
entire spinal cord, all the way down your back to your
sacrum. It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid which
protects and nourishes this delicate and vital part of you.
It's actually very much like a hydraulic system. If
pressure is applied to any part of this hydraulic system,
the force that results is transmitted equally via the CSF
throughout the system. Since this system influences the
development and function of the brain and spinal cord, an
imbalance or dysfunction in the craniosacral system could
cause sensory, motor or neurological disabilities. These
problems may include chronic pain, eye difficulties,
scoliosis, motor-coordination impairments, learning
disabilities, and other dysfunctions of the central nervous
system.
As CSF is created and reabsorbed, its activity creates a
distinct rhythm, at the rate of six to twelve cycles per
minute. This craniosacral motion causes the whole body to
move rhythmically in response to the craniosacral system's
activity. It is involuntary and inherent in the
individual's biological system, and necessary for the
continuation of life. This movement can be observed and
felt throughout the body by a trained CranioSacral Therapy
practitioner. The craniosacral rhythm is separate from the
cardiac or respiratory rhythms, but can be felt just as
distinctly. Craniosacral motion can be evaluated in terms
of amplitude, rate, symmetry and quality.
The positive effect of CranioSacral Therapy relies to a
large extent upon the normal self-corrective physiological
activities of the client's body. The hydraulic forces
inherent within the system to contribute a great deal
towards the corrective process. The CranioSacral Therapy
practitioner more or less removes obstacles which the
normal self-correcting physiological forces have been
unable to overcome. A light touch assists the natural
movement of the fluid within the craniosacral system. The
therapist simply removes obstacles, activates and empowers.
Seldom are pressures applied by the therapist which exceed
5 grams (roughly the weight of a nickel!)

Some
of the beneficial results of CranioSacral Therapy may
include the following:

Improved
functioning of the autonomic nervous system, enabling the
body to respond more effectively to stress and
challenge.

Improved
immune system function.

Release
of tissue restrictions, facilitating mobility in the
body.

Release
of osseous (bone) restrictions.

Other
conditions responding well to CranioSacral Therapy are
autism, attention deficit disorder, and learning
disabilities

The
Foundation of CranioSacral Therapy

The
origin of CranioSacral Therapy extends back to the early
1900s, when Dr. William Sutherland was struck by the
unusual idea that the bones of the skull were structured to
allow for movement. For more than 20 years he explored this
concept, eventually developing a system of treatment known
as Cranial Osteopathy.
In 1970, osteopathic physician John E. Upledger observed
the rhythmic movement of the craniosacral system during
surgery. None of his colleagues nor any of the medical
texts could explain his discovery.
After studying the work of Dr. Sutherland, Dr. Upledger set
out to scientifically confirm the existence of the
craniosacral system. From 1975 to 1983, he served as
clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at
Michigan State University. There he supervised a team of
anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers
to test and document the influence of therapy on the
craniosacral system. His continued work in the field
resulted in the development of CranioSacral Therapy.
Dr. Upledger foundedThe Upledger Institutein
1985 to educate the public and healthcare practitioners
about the benefits of CranioSacral Therapy. To date,
this healthcare resource center and clinic based in Palm
Beach Gardens, Florida, has trained more than 22,000
healthcare practitioners worldwide in the use of
CranioSacral Therapy. Therapists include osteopaths,
medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, dentists,
physical therapists, occupational therapists,
acupuncturists, doctors of chiropractic medicine,
massage therapists and bodyworkers.The
Institute also manages the HealthPlex Clinical Services,
where doctors and therapists are devoted to healing through
the use of gentle, non-invasive procedures.